Back on the ocean racing to Half Moon Bay

This past weekend John and I sailed in the Single Handed Sailing Society's Half Moon Bay race from San Francisco to Half Moon Bay - about 24 nm.  The race was a mix of single and double handers.  We actually had 4 J120's in the race.  After a nice start - that was delayed about 30 minutes to allow what looked like about 100 swimmers come through the starting area - it was a matter of staying out of the flood coming in the Gate.  We stayed in close along the shore heading to the Gate and after getting around the south tower headed in towards Baker beach.  We tack several times staying in close to the shore, seeing a nice eddy of ebb current helping us towards Mile Rock.  We passed just inside of Mile Rock and at that point all 4 J120's were close to each other (3 of us had stayed close to shore and one was further out in the main channel).  Unfortunately, from there the wind continued to drop to the mid single digits from the SW.  That means upwind sailing down the coast.  Our new genoa is still being built so we only had our small jib (#3), while the other J120's all had their genoas up.  It was like bringing a knife to a gun fight.  The other three boats just had too much horse power and began to walk away from us.  Our only hope was for the wind to shift NW (as it was forecast to do) so we could put up a spinnaker.  That didn't happen until about 8 miles from the finish.  We tried the Code zero but that sent us too much toward shore.  Finally got the A3 up and took that to Colorado Reef buoy (a mark on the course about 5 miles from the finish) and then switched to the A4 and flew that to the finish.  A slow 6:20 to complete the course.  We contemplated turning around to head home but the fog looked even thicker which would have meant a cold, wet ride home.  We decided to spend the night at Pillar Point Harbor.  We were out of there at 0800 the following morning and motorsailed for the first 1.5 hours until the wind filled in from the west and then had a nice close reach sail the rest of the way to SF in 10-15 knots of breeze.  Of course, once we got under the Golden Gate bridge it was blowing in the mid-20's and we passed by all the boats competing in the Rolex Big Boat Series.  Overall, 5.5 hours to get back to Brisbane Marina from HMB.

Video from the race can be found here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c66WuUhhu_k

Another ocean race - Drake's Bay

This past weekend was the combined OYRA/SSS race up to Drake's Bay (about 31nm) on Saturday, spend the night on the hook, and race back to the Bay on Sunday.  Cris and I raced doublehanded in the SSS fleet.  While we had good wind at the start off GGYC, but once out in the ocean it was mostly mid-single digits.  Unfortunately, our new genoa is still a few weeks away so we raced with the #3 (105%) jib and were seriously under powered for the conditions.  We had hopes for a lot of south in the breeze (so we could use a spinnaker) but that never developed and it was a close reach all the way - just under 6 hours 45 minutes.  A long, slow day.  But is was beautiful in Drakes Bay and we rafted up with the other J120, Twist, for awhile to share stories and compare boats, then moved off to anchor for the evening.  Morning broke with no wind and fog (see picture above).  The start was delayed for 45 minutes to allow the wind to fill in - if you can call 3-5 kts filled in.  All the starts crawled off the line for the trip home.  We cycled through the jib, the code zero, back to the jib, and finally to the A4.  We opted for an inshore route hoping to pick up more breeze as the fog cleared - most of the rest of the fleet stayed well offshore.  We jibed out to get around Duxbury reef and not seeing any better wind jibed back in to shore to again look for better wind and set up for the flood coming down the Bonita channel.  Talking to some of the other boats that were offshore, we had a bit more wind inshore (8-10 kts) than they had.  We also got a great push as we approached the Bonita channel, sailed through the channel and wiped around Point Bonita.  The combined additional breeze and nice current push allowed us to pass all but two of the fleet that had started before us.  As expected, winds increased to the low teens as we approached Pt. Bonita, mid-teens as we approached the Golden Gate bridge, and mid-twenties inside the Bay.  Our jibes went off without a hitch and our final jibe set us up for a speed run (13 kts boat speed) to the finish.  After the finish we jibed around a barge that is inconveniently anchored just past the finish, dropped the kite, and sailed home to Brisbane marina.  All in all a very nice weekend.  It was nice on Sunday to come up with a strategy for the race, execute that plan, and have it work out to your advantage - it doesn't always work that way.  That's sailing!

 p.s. thanks to Rich Hudnut (who was on Twist) for the photo.

Pacific Cup 2020

It's official - we're entered in the 2020 version of the Pacific Cup race to Hawaii.




Since we did the race in 2018 we're pretty much set on all the equipment requirements.  For the next race it will be a matter of refining some items based on what we learned last race.  The biggest thing will be weight reduction!  More to come.  Race starts are the last week of June 2020.  And we're off...

First ocean race of 2019

                                            Approaching SE Farallones Island

                                                 Charging towards the finish line


After a couple of in Bay races earlier this year, last weekend marked the first time Hokulani has been out in the ocean since last year's PacCup race.  This was a singlehanded race out the SE Farallones Island and back (about 56 nm).  Thankfully the early morning start was on a strong ebb since there wasn't much wind (~5-8 kts).  I was seeing a good 3-4 kts push out the Gate from the ebb.  Unfortunately, the further offshore we got the lighter the wind got - mostly mid-single digits.  Against the other J120, who had switched to a genoa, I really paid the price for only having a #3 headsail.  It took about 6.5 hours to get to and around the island.  A very calm sea state made it a comfortable trip.  Then I used the new A4 spinnaker all the way back to the finish line in front of Golden Gate YC.  Given the light winds I had to sail a fairly high course back (110AWA) so I wasn't able to clear Pt. Bonita on the return.  So a jibe at Pt. Bonita, a jibe back over near mile rock, and then another jibe just east of center span of the Golden Gate bridge.  As is typical, the wind built as we approached the Gate, mid-teens outside and then low to mid-20's once under the bridge.  Fortunately, all three jibes went off without a hitch.  The last leg was a blast at about 12 kts of boat speed all the way to the finish.  Dropped the kite and then sailed home to Brisbane Marina.  A long 14 hour day by the time I got back.  A really nice day out on the ocean.  You can see the video here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD7AICtxLYY

Year end update/Race video

Happy New Year everyone!  As of early December 2018 Hokulani was finally back in her Brisbane Marine slip.

All the race damage has been repaired as well as some additional work that comes from racing a 20 year old boat over 2,000 miles.  Dare I say she's ready for the 2020 race?

Before we sign off from the 2018 race, over the holidays I finally got a chance to pull together all the video and photos from the race.  I've created a short version (~5 minutes) for those who just want the highlights and a long version (~15 minutes) for those who want the full immersion experience.  Both are posted on YouTube.  Plus now the extra short version (~2 minutes)!

Short version   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy0R9C0Il1c

Long version   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUI5Ei9v5jU

Extra-short version  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkBAXih8iHg

2019 plans include Bay and coastal shorthanded racing - nothing too crazy.  

Early October update

We made it to the west coast!  Pasha finally got Hokulani shipped to San Diego (thank you pacific hurricane season!).  She's now transferred to the trailer that will be taking her up the coast to KKMI's boat yard in Richmond.  ETA next Monday, October 15th - 72 days since I left her at Keehi marine's dock in Hawaii.  It's felt like a REALLY long time.

Late September update

Well, our worries over the pacific hurricanes came to pass - Pasha's shipping schedule was negatively impacted.  As a result the new ETA for the boat to arrive in San Diego is now October 2nd.  For those counting, that's two weeks behind schedule.  Hopefully she'll arrive here locally early the week of October 8th.  Other than a new low spinning off the Baja peninsula later this week the path from Hawaii to San Diego looks clear.  Fingers crossed!